march 2010 desert breeze newsletter, tucson cactus & succulent society
TRANSCRIPT
Please see our Website Calendar for the nextrescued cactus sale. They are scheduled at various
times during the year based on our inventory.
TCSS Club Members receive a 10% discount
Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month.
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Junior League of Tucson, Kiva Bldg.2099 E. River Road
River Road
Newsletter of the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society March 2010Thursday, March 4, 2010 7:00pm
Monthly Meeting, "Wild Cacti and Succulents in the Eastern USA"presented by Michael Chamberland
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 7:00pmBoard Meeting at the U of A College of Pharmacy
Thursday, March 18, 2010 7:00 - 9:00pmThe propagating of Cactus and Succulents Roundtable Discussion
March 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 7:00 PM
“Wild Cacti and Succulents in the Eastern USA"
Presented by Michael Chamberland,
Succulents in the eastern States are isolated in small areasof special habitat. Many are rare and local, little known, andseldom illustrated in mainstream wildflower guides.Succulent plants are few and rare in the northeastern States.The number of succulent species increases exponentially as one travels into the southern States, with Florida possessingmore succulents than the other eastern States combined.The number of succulents increases as one travels souththrough Florida, culminating in the Florida Keys, where columnar cacti and arborescent prickly pears grow. This isthe northern margin of the Caribbean flora. Non-nativesucculent species in Florida include aloes, crown-of-thorns,kalanchoe, Epiphyllum, and some other cacti. The non-native succulent species are almost as numerous as thenative succulents in Florida. But they have not become trulyinvasive like the worst of Florida's exotics. In other States,the introduced succulents are principally sedums and otherCrassulaceae, usually of minor and short-lived occurrence.
Michael Chamberland is the Curator of Horticulture at theTucson Botanical Gardens. He has studied plants at theUniversity of Connecticut and Arizona State University. Witha degree in Botany, he has worked both in herbaria and botanical gardens around the USA. Michael has mountednumerous treks into the most remote and forbidding parts ofthe Eastern States. Having lived to tell about it, he will shedlight on the myths and dark secrets of this little known part of the succulent world.
This will be a very special program that may open your eyesto plants you never thought would be growing in the easternstates. Please bring your friends, join us and welcomeMichael as he takes the floor and presents a much neededsubject to our club.
Thursday, April 14, 2010 "Taxonomy For Cactus Lovers:
Latin shouldn’t be Greek to you" Presented by Mark Dimmitt
Free Plants and Door Prize Golden Barrel,
Echinocactus grusonii
Native to Mexico (Queretaro) where it is endangered inthe wild. This plant is fairly slow growing to 3 feet tall (90cm), 3 feet in diameter ultimately.
The Golden Barrel is one of the most commonly usedand widely available landscape cactus in the AmericanSouthwest . It is popular for its golden spines that keeplooking attractive after several years. The Golden Barrel has 1.5 to 2 inches (4-5 cm) yellow flowers from end ofMarch to end of April. The flowers are produced only onmature specimens receiving enough full sun. The flowersare not very visible being small in relation with the size ofthe barrel, and lost into the creamy colored wool at thetop of the globe. Water generously in summer.
www.deserttropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Echinocactus_grusonii.html
Acknowledgement of ContributionsDecember, 2009 – February 2010
The names below represent the Tucson Cactus & Succulent Society members and friends whose donationshelped make this year a success. We extend our sincere thanks for your support.
General Helen & Kevin BarberMartha BrummfieldJack J & Tena ByrneJensine E. Ericksen & Donald M. MoxleyVernon & Diane KliewerArlene & Fred MillerHal MyersAlyce Pennington & Rick TrappPatricia PhelanCarol & Eric SchafferJoyce ThomasWilliam ThorntonKathi & Clint GlassJeff & Connie Woodman
EducationRon & Elaine MeyerGail Virtes
ConservationRon & Elaine Meyer
ResearchJoyce ThomasWinifred Williams
FlorilegiumCynthia AnsonPaula Borchardt & Carl EnglanderJohn Gilkey & Laurel CooperElizabeth DavisonCherie GossettMichael& Linda McNultyMobil Matching Gift Program (Joseph M. Frannea)Arlene & Douglas RipleyMargaret Pope & Norm EpsteinLinda Burback
Part Time Help WantedBach’s Cactus Nursery Retail Sales Area
Call 8am to 5pm Mon-Sat 520-744-3333
Ask for Diane Bach
TCSS BOARDOfficers
President: Richard Wiedhopf885-6367
Vice President: Vonn WatkinsSecretary: Dave MoyerTreasurer: Joe Frannea
Board of Directors:(Ending Dec. 31, 2010)
Linda BartlettMartin (Marty) Harow
William (Bill) HicksJohn Swarbrick
(Ending Dec. 31, 2011)Ed Bartlett
Mark DimmittJoie Giunta
Bill Salisbury
(Ending Dec. 31, 2012)Chris MonradDale Johnson
Keimpe Bronkhorst
CSSA Affiliate Rep: Bill Holcombe (2011)
Cactus [email protected]
Cactus Rescue: Chris MonradEducational: Joe FranneaFree Plants: Chris Monrad
Librarian: Joie GiuntaPrograms: Vonn Watkins
Refreshments: Patsy FranneaTechnology: Kevin Barber
Research Grants: Gerald Pine
Editor: Karen [email protected]
Deadline for copy: 15th of each month
TCSS Web Page: www.tucsoncactus.org
Webmaster: Keimpe Bronkhorst
Everyone is Welcome!Bring your friends, join in the fun,
and meet the cactus and succulent community.
March RefreshmentsThose with family names beginning withE, F, G, H, I, J, and K please bring yourchoice of refreshments to the meeting.Your generous sharing will be greatly
appreciated and enjoyed!
welcome. So put your thinking caps on and come join us to improve and expandthis important community outreach project. If you have any questions or wantmore info see me at the regular TCSS meeting on March 4, or e-mail me [email protected].
John Swarbrick
Growing Succulents in the Desertby Mark Dimmitt
March 2010: Lachenalias at their peak in March
Winter-growing bulbs are a great source of winter and early spring color. A hugenumber of species occur in Mediterranean climates (mild, wet winters and hot,dry summers), including Europe, the Pacific coast of North America, South Africa,and parts of South America. Some of the showiest and easiest to grow arelachenalias, also called Cape hyacinths. The genus Lachenalia contains about110 species from South Africa, of which a couple dozen are worth growing. Mostspecies bloom in March in the desert Southwest.
Whether bulbs are succulents is an unsettled question. (See a discussion of thesubject on the Desert Museum’s website atwww.desertmuseum.org/programs/succulents_definition.php) The fleshyperennating organ stores mostly starch, not water. The starch provides energy(and, when metabolized, produces water as well) for a surge of growth thatenables the plant to complete its life cycle in a short growing season. Most bulbsdo not sprout until the surrounding soil gets wet. A few bulbs use the starch andwater to begin growing before the rains come; these are true succulents.Succulent or not, bulbs are definitely xerophytes, and are appealing to manysucculent collectors.
Lachenalias can be grown in the ground if you don’t have rabbits, packrats, orquail. They are best grown in pots on benches, and put on display when inflower. Plant a single bulb in a 4-inch pot, or several in larger pots in fall. (Largerpots produce bigger plants with more flowers.) A well-drained humus-richmedium is best. Begin watering when the nights fall into the 50s. Water sparinglyuntil the leaves are well up, then keep the medium moist through winter. Be sureto feed them generously during the growing season. After the flowers fade andthe leaves begin to turn yellow, stop watering and store in the pots in a drylocation over the summer. (And separate the pots or cut off the old spikes.Otherwise seedlings will volunteer all over the place, and soon you won’t knowwhat you have.) Some species will rot if they receive much summer water.
Lachenalias are sporadically available from mainstream nurseries and mail ordercatalogs. You can purchase bulbs in the fall from specialty bulb catalogs. Somelocal nurseries offer them, and they occasionally appear at stores such as TraderJoe’s.
Reference: “The Lachenalia Handbook”. G.D. Duncan. 1988.Annals of Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens vol. 17.
This article may only be reprinted with the author's permission.
Don’t be fooled by our weather. Westill have more than a month to gobefore we are sure that a hard freezepossibility is over. If all this rain andwarmer weather seems too good tobe true, it probably is. This is thetime to be vigilant.
It is also the time of year when manyof the botanical gardens have theirspring sale. I can’t wait to go tothem in hopes of finding that speciesor specimen that I can’t live without.
The Desert Botanical Garden (Phoenix)The plant sale is a one-stop shopping experience with one of thelargest selections of arid-adapted plants available in a singlelocation. Garden Members' Preview: Friday, March 19, 7 AM-5PM. Open to the Public: Saturday, March 20, 7 AM-5 PM. andSunday, March 21, 9 AM-5 PM.Tucson Botanical Gardens(Tucson) Visit the Gardens this March for a new twist on ourspring plant sale – the New Leaf Plant Sale. Vendors will featureone or more “new plants” – plants recently brought intocultivation, new cultivars or “retro plants” that are returning topopularity. The will have a wide selection of other plants.Members sale Friday, March 26, 5-8 PM.Saturday, March 27, 9 AM - 4 PM.
Tohono Chul Park (Tucson)This year featuring the mint family genus Agastache, also knownas giant hyssop. Of course, Tohono Chul will present the usualrogues’ gallery of native and drought-adapted plants, many ofthem available nowhere else. Come and see the largest selectionof Penstemons anywhere in the Southwest, as well as animpressive assortment of cacti, shrubs, wildflowers, trees, herbs,vines and groundcovers. Bring your wagon - Sale is inPropagation - East side of the Park Members Preview: Wed., March 17, 3-6 PM Public Sale: Sat.,March 20, 9AM TO 5PM & Sun., March 21, 10AM TO 4PM
Boyce Thompson ArboretumThis important seasonal fundraiser helps support botanyconservation and education at the Arboretum - and offers ourmembers and visitors two weeks worth of great savings on awide selection of drought-tolerant cacti, agaves, herbs, trees,shrubs, wildflowers and other plants ideal for landscaping here inour Sonoran Desert. Spring Plant Sale March 12 - 28 dailyfrom 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. during business hours
Most important to remember: Visit our member Cactus andSucculent businesses. They really deserve our support forall the good things they do for this society
Thank you
Dick Wiedhopf, President
Library UpdateCacti of Texas in their natural habitatby Gertrud & Ad KoningsAfter a brief explanation of what is a cactus, the authors take youthrough 120 different species of cacti. A two-page photographicspread is devoted to each species, showing close-ups of theflowers and spines. There isn’t a lot of text, but the photos makeup for that. The last pages show a distribution map for eachspecies.
Wild Orchids of Arizona and New Mexico By Ronald A. ColemanArizona has 26 native species of orchids New Mexico has 28.From March through September orchids can be found in thearea. This book has 30 pages of color photographs as well asillustrations with line drawings, maps, genus and species keys forplant identification.
Joie Giunta
The Propagating of Cactus andSucculents Roundtable Discussion
March 18, 2010 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM Junior League of Tucson • Kiva Room
2099 East River RoadOn March 18, 2010 we will be having a very goodroundtable discussion that will be freely open to all ourmembers interested in propagating Cactus and Succulents.When to propagate, what plants to select for propagation,the planting of seed, rooting plant cuttings, etc. We will beasking some of our best local nursery owners to come outand express some of their experiences with everyone and tolet everyone know what they might do. There will be lots ofquestions and a chance for everyone to express their ownideas and techniques. Please mark your calendar now andon March 18, come out and ask questions, get answers andenjoy talking with others that will share their experiences.
FUNFEST Cactus Model ProjectThere are two upcoming events where we have been invitedto bring our education outreach cactus model exercise. Thefirst is the Pima Community College NW Campus Earth Dayevent on Wednesday, April 21 and the second is the "Math &Science Experience at Cochise College" on Friday, May 7. Inpreparation for these events we are planning a brainstormingmeeting (not a work party!) on Wednesday, March 10 at7:00pm at the U of A School of Pharmacy. There are threemajor topics for this meeting: 1. To consider changing thetitle of our exercise to focus on learning about cactus anddownplay the "arts & crafts" aspect of building a model; 2.To come up with ways to adapt this exercise to high scooland college levels ( the original exercise is aimed at upperelementary and middle school students). 3. To reflect on theexperience of the past 2 FUNFEST's, to tweek the exerciseto make in better. Anyone who is interested in the TCSSEducation Outreach Program is encouraged to attend thismeeting, and previous FUNFEST volunteers are especially
President’s Message
TCSS Desert Garden Tour - March 20, 2010The second in a series of self guided TCSS member Garden Tours will be Sat., March 20th, 9:00 am- 3:00pm. Visit 9 of ourmember’s gardens and see how they grow, maintain and display their cacti and succulents. Homeowners will be available to an-swer your questions. The tour is free and open to TCSS Members and Guests. It is recommended that members wear theirTCSS badge. We have grouped the gardens on the West/Northwest side of Tucson for your driving convenience. There are twogardens in the Casas Adobes area and seven more southwest of the Silverbell/Ina intersection. Please park only on streets adja-cent to the home. Brief garden descriptions and driving directions are listed below. More detailed garden descriptions and pho-tos will be posted on the web in mid March. Please vary the order to your convenience, but the last five can only be accessedby checking in at the gate on Abington Road and exiting onto Sunset Road.
*1. BILL & ADELLA HICKS - 1061 W. Safari DriveA variety of cactus and succulents have re-vegetated thislandscape in a natural desert setting dotted with native trees,shrubs and ocotillo. Enjoy many outstanding specimens in aneclectic mix of the owners’ interest in succulents, whimsical yardart and a small zen garden treat.From Oracle and Orange Grove drive west on Orange Groveto Caravan Lane. Turn left and follow Caravan to the endwhere it turns left into Safari Drive. Continue to 1061.
2. NEDRA WILLIAMS - 1651 W. Calle del SantoEnter this backyard landscape through a lovely mature patch ofnative desert. Inside you will find a wide variety of cacti, succu-lents in the ground and containers. Large mature Senita andOrgan Pipe dot the property and enjoy the serenity of falling waterand a large Koi pondFrom Orange Grove and La Canada go west on OrangeGrove, take the first left, Pomona Rd, and drive south to cor-ner of Pomona and Calle del Santo. Tour entrance will bethere, but you can park on Calle del Santo too.
3. MARCIA LINCOLN & VICTOR ONG - 6701 Waycross RoadSave plenty of tour time to meander around the many paths in the“tamed” 2 acre main yard on this 13 acre property. You’ll discovera wealth of cacti and succulent specimens, desert adaptedtrees/shrubs, and a huge enclosed vegetable and fruit tree gar-den. A mini-farm of turkeys, chickens, dwarf goats and an oldmacaw will simply delight you. A restroom will be available at thisgarden. Drive west on Orange Grove to I-10 and take the frontageroad up to Ina. Turn left and take Ina to Silverbell. Turn left onSilverbell and go about 1 mile to Belmont Road. Turn right onBelmont, and drive west to Waycross Road about 0.8 mile.Turn right on Waycross and drive to 6701. (About 0.3 mile)
4. STAN JANKOWSKI - 5790 W. Crystal Valley CourtSeveral additions of rescued plants blend from this property intothe natural surroundings and 360 degree views from this hilltopretreat. Interesting succulents and vines dot both the front andrear patios with garden sculpture accents. A rare saguaro branchtip is rooted and growing. From Waycross and Belmont drive back east on Belmont toAbington Road. Turn right and take Abington Rd. to CrystalValley Ct. Turn right and proceed to cul de sac. . (A steepwinding driveway willgive your legs a workout)
5. VISIT FIVE MORE MEMBER GARDENS INSIDE “TUCSONMOUNTAIN RESERVE”From garden #4 go back to Abington Road, turn left and gonorth to the gated entrance on your right. (A detailed mapand driving instructions will be handed out at the gate whenyou enter this development) The TCSS Rescue Crew is very fortunate to have several active crew members who live in thisgated community. Along with their many hours of labor for TCSS,they have worked as a team to add over 100 native plants tomany of the islands and entrance features of TMR. Also, as theyhave landscaped their own yards you can see that they have in-corporated numerous rescue plants to gently blend their housinginto the surrounding natural desert.
JOE & BEVERLY BANNON - 6175 N. Tucson Mountain DriveProviding a dramatic silhouette, ocotillo line the entrance ridge tothis home and rescued plants enhance the landscape throughout.Many cacti and succulent specimens dot both front and rear pa-tios and a unique water fountain adds a special touch.
KENDALL ELMER, MARGIE & SAM WOODRICH - 5595 W.Tucson Mountain Place A hidden delight nestled on the side ofa hill surrounded by a re-vegetated native plant pallet with addi-tions of yucca and agave specimens. An intimate rear patio in-cludes a soothing koi pond surrounded by relaxing ramadaseating, many container specimens, and accents to attract bothbird and butterfly visitors.JERRY & MARGO ESTRUTH - 5756 N. Tucson Mountain DriveWith emphasis on using mostly native and rescued plantings intheir landscape, the owners also have a special tended nursery ofsaguaro seedlings, pinecone cactus and mammillaria. Expansivemountain and city views enhance the beauty of this setting.
NOE & LUCILLE MAYOTTE - 5475 W. Four Barrel CourtA recent conversion to a low water use landscape design makesthis a must see for those wanting to benefit from the cost savingadvantage of using native plants in their garden. Dramatic speci-mens adorn the entrance and you’ll find an impressive collectionof saguaro and other plantings along with a commanding speci-men of Mexican Grass Tree in the back patio.
BILL & LYNN RAMSTAD - 5415 W. Four Barrel CourtThis is a “drive by only” viewing to see the attractive use ofour rescued plants to enhance the street scape landscaping inthis natural desert setting. **From here you will return to Tuc-son Mountain Drive, turn left and exit through the gates ontoSunset Road.
*Look for the green TCSS signs and balloons
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Some of Mark Dimmitts photos from his article onGrowing Succulents in the Desert
Twenty five bulbs of Lachenalia aloides planted in a 14-inchsquare flat. This is the most common species in cultivation, andone of the most vigorous. It flowers in March in Tucson.
Lachenalia rubida is the earliest species, flowering in November in Tucson.
Lachenalia bulbifera is the largest species; the leaves and flower spikescan be a foot long. The flowers range from orange to red. This clone is agood red. It flowers March and sometimes into April if not too hot.
Lachenalia viridiflora is a small species that blooms in February. Theflowers on 6-inch spikes are a rare metallic blue-green color that is difficult to capture in print.
Lachenalia matthewsii is another miniature species, growing 4-6inches tall. The yellow flowers appear in April.
Some of Mark Dimmittsphotos from his article
on GrowingSucculents in the Desert
Lachenalia glaucina is a robust plant withlavender flowers in March.
Two lachenalias of unknown identity found at Trader Joe’s.
Lachenalia aloides var. quadricolor is themost colorful member of the genus.
Lachenalia arbuthnotiae bears bright yellowflowers in late March into April.
Lachenalia mutabilis is named for the flowers which changecolor as they age. It flowers in March.
Lachenalia orthopetala is a small species, about 6 inches tall. Thewhite flowers bloom in April.
TCSS BOARDOfficers
President: Richard Wiedhopf885-6367
Vice President: Vonn WatkinsSecretary: Dave MoyerTreasurer: Joe Frannea
Board of Directors:(Ending Dec. 31, 2010)
Linda BartlettMartin (Marty) Harow
William (Bill) HicksJohn Swarbrick
(Ending Dec. 31, 2011)Ed Bartlett
Mark DimmittJoie Giunta
Bill Salisbury
(Ending Dec. 31, 2012)Chris MonradDale Johnson
Keimpe Bronkhorst
CSSA Affiliate Rep: Bill Holcombe (2011)
Cactus [email protected]
Cactus Rescue: Chris MonradEducational: Joe FranneaFree Plants: Chris Monrad
Librarian: Joie GiuntaPrograms: Vonn Watkins
Refreshments: Patsy FranneaTechnology: Kevin Barber
Research Grants: Gerald Pine
Editor: Karen [email protected]
Deadline for copy: 15th of each month
TCSS Web Page: www.tucsoncactus.org
Webmaster: Keimpe Bronkhorst
Everyone is Welcome!Bring your friends, join in the fun,
and meet the cactus and succulent community.
March RefreshmentsThose with family names beginning withE, F, G, H, I, J, and K please bring yourchoice of refreshments to the meeting.Your generous sharing will be greatly
appreciated and enjoyed!
welcome. So put your thinking caps on and come join us to improve and expandthis important community outreach project. If you have any questions or wantmore info see me at the regular TCSS meeting on March 4, or e-mail me [email protected].
John Swarbrick
Growing Succulents in the Desertby Mark Dimmitt
March 2010: Lachenalias at their peak in March
Winter-growing bulbs are a great source of winter and early spring color. A hugenumber of species occur in Mediterranean climates (mild, wet winters and hot,dry summers), including Europe, the Pacific coast of North America, South Africa,and parts of South America. Some of the showiest and easiest to grow arelachenalias, also called Cape hyacinths. The genus Lachenalia contains about110 species from South Africa, of which a couple dozen are worth growing. Mostspecies bloom in March in the desert Southwest.
Whether bulbs are succulents is an unsettled question. (See a discussion of thesubject on the Desert Museum’s website atwww.desertmuseum.org/programs/succulents_definition.php) The fleshyperennating organ stores mostly starch, not water. The starch provides energy(and, when metabolized, produces water as well) for a surge of growth thatenables the plant to complete its life cycle in a short growing season. Most bulbsdo not sprout until the surrounding soil gets wet. A few bulbs use the starch andwater to begin growing before the rains come; these are true succulents.Succulent or not, bulbs are definitely xerophytes, and are appealing to manysucculent collectors.
Lachenalias can be grown in the ground if you don’t have rabbits, packrats, orquail. They are best grown in pots on benches, and put on display when inflower. Plant a single bulb in a 4-inch pot, or several in larger pots in fall. (Largerpots produce bigger plants with more flowers.) A well-drained humus-richmedium is best. Begin watering when the nights fall into the 50s. Water sparinglyuntil the leaves are well up, then keep the medium moist through winter. Be sureto feed them generously during the growing season. After the flowers fade andthe leaves begin to turn yellow, stop watering and store in the pots in a drylocation over the summer. (And separate the pots or cut off the old spikes.Otherwise seedlings will volunteer all over the place, and soon you won’t knowwhat you have.) Some species will rot if they receive much summer water.
Lachenalias are sporadically available from mainstream nurseries and mail ordercatalogs. You can purchase bulbs in the fall from specialty bulb catalogs. Somelocal nurseries offer them, and they occasionally appear at stores such as TraderJoe’s.
Reference: “The Lachenalia Handbook”. G.D. Duncan. 1988.Annals of Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens vol. 17.
This article may only be reprinted with the author's permission.
Don’t be fooled by our weather. Westill have more than a month to gobefore we are sure that a hard freezepossibility is over. If all this rain andwarmer weather seems too good tobe true, it probably is. This is thetime to be vigilant.
It is also the time of year when manyof the botanical gardens have theirspring sale. I can’t wait to go tothem in hopes of finding that speciesor specimen that I can’t live without.
The Desert Botanical Garden (Phoenix)The plant sale is a one-stop shopping experience with one of thelargest selections of arid-adapted plants available in a singlelocation. Garden Members' Preview: Friday, March 19, 7 AM-5PM. Open to the Public: Saturday, March 20, 7 AM-5 PM. andSunday, March 21, 9 AM-5 PM.Tucson Botanical Gardens(Tucson) Visit the Gardens this March for a new twist on ourspring plant sale – the New Leaf Plant Sale. Vendors will featureone or more “new plants” – plants recently brought intocultivation, new cultivars or “retro plants” that are returning topopularity. The will have a wide selection of other plants.Members sale Friday, March 26, 5-8 PM.Saturday, March 27, 9 AM - 4 PM.
Tohono Chul Park (Tucson)This year featuring the mint family genus Agastache, also knownas giant hyssop. Of course, Tohono Chul will present the usualrogues’ gallery of native and drought-adapted plants, many ofthem available nowhere else. Come and see the largest selectionof Penstemons anywhere in the Southwest, as well as animpressive assortment of cacti, shrubs, wildflowers, trees, herbs,vines and groundcovers. Bring your wagon - Sale is inPropagation - East side of the Park Members Preview: Wed., March 17, 3-6 PM Public Sale: Sat.,March 20, 9AM TO 5PM & Sun., March 21, 10AM TO 4PM
Boyce Thompson ArboretumThis important seasonal fundraiser helps support botanyconservation and education at the Arboretum - and offers ourmembers and visitors two weeks worth of great savings on awide selection of drought-tolerant cacti, agaves, herbs, trees,shrubs, wildflowers and other plants ideal for landscaping here inour Sonoran Desert. Spring Plant Sale March 12 - 28 dailyfrom 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. during business hours
Most important to remember: Visit our member Cactus andSucculent businesses. They really deserve our support forall the good things they do for this society
Thank you
Dick Wiedhopf, President
Library UpdateCacti of Texas in their natural habitatby Gertrud & Ad KoningsAfter a brief explanation of what is a cactus, the authors take youthrough 120 different species of cacti. A two-page photographicspread is devoted to each species, showing close-ups of theflowers and spines. There isn’t a lot of text, but the photos makeup for that. The last pages show a distribution map for eachspecies.
Wild Orchids of Arizona and New Mexico By Ronald A. ColemanArizona has 26 native species of orchids New Mexico has 28.From March through September orchids can be found in thearea. This book has 30 pages of color photographs as well asillustrations with line drawings, maps, genus and species keys forplant identification.
Joie Giunta
The Propagating of Cactus andSucculents Roundtable Discussion
March 18, 2010 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM Junior League of Tucson • Kiva Room
2099 East River RoadOn March 18, 2010 we will be having a very goodroundtable discussion that will be freely open to all ourmembers interested in propagating Cactus and Succulents.When to propagate, what plants to select for propagation,the planting of seed, rooting plant cuttings, etc. We will beasking some of our best local nursery owners to come outand express some of their experiences with everyone and tolet everyone know what they might do. There will be lots ofquestions and a chance for everyone to express their ownideas and techniques. Please mark your calendar now andon March 18, come out and ask questions, get answers andenjoy talking with others that will share their experiences.
FUNFEST Cactus Model ProjectThere are two upcoming events where we have been invitedto bring our education outreach cactus model exercise. Thefirst is the Pima Community College NW Campus Earth Dayevent on Wednesday, April 21 and the second is the "Math &Science Experience at Cochise College" on Friday, May 7. Inpreparation for these events we are planning a brainstormingmeeting (not a work party!) on Wednesday, March 10 at7:00pm at the U of A School of Pharmacy. There are threemajor topics for this meeting: 1. To consider changing thetitle of our exercise to focus on learning about cactus anddownplay the "arts & crafts" aspect of building a model; 2.To come up with ways to adapt this exercise to high scooland college levels ( the original exercise is aimed at upperelementary and middle school students). 3. To reflect on theexperience of the past 2 FUNFEST's, to tweek the exerciseto make in better. Anyone who is interested in the TCSSEducation Outreach Program is encouraged to attend thismeeting, and previous FUNFEST volunteers are especially
President’s Message
Please see our Website Calendar for the nextrescued cactus sale. They are scheduled at various
times during the year based on our inventory.
TCSS Club Members receive a 10% discount
Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month.
Cam
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Junior League of Tucson, Kiva Bldg.2099 E. River Road
River Road
Newsletter of the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society March 2010Thursday, March 4, 2010 7:00pm
Monthly Meeting, "Wild Cacti and Succulents in the Eastern USA"presented by Michael Chamberland
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 7:00pmBoard Meeting at the U of A College of Pharmacy
Thursday, March 18, 2010 7:00 - 9:00pmThe propagating of Cactus and Succulents Roundtable Discussion
March 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 7:00 PM
“Wild Cacti and Succulents in the Eastern USA"
Presented by Michael Chamberland,
Succulents in the eastern States are isolated in small areasof special habitat. Many are rare and local, little known, andseldom illustrated in mainstream wildflower guides.Succulent plants are few and rare in the northeastern States.The number of succulent species increases exponentially as one travels into the southern States, with Florida possessingmore succulents than the other eastern States combined.The number of succulents increases as one travels souththrough Florida, culminating in the Florida Keys, where columnar cacti and arborescent prickly pears grow. This isthe northern margin of the Caribbean flora. Non-nativesucculent species in Florida include aloes, crown-of-thorns,kalanchoe, Epiphyllum, and some other cacti. The non-native succulent species are almost as numerous as thenative succulents in Florida. But they have not become trulyinvasive like the worst of Florida's exotics. In other States,the introduced succulents are principally sedums and otherCrassulaceae, usually of minor and short-lived occurrence.
Michael Chamberland is the Curator of Horticulture at theTucson Botanical Gardens. He has studied plants at theUniversity of Connecticut and Arizona State University. Witha degree in Botany, he has worked both in herbaria and botanical gardens around the USA. Michael has mountednumerous treks into the most remote and forbidding parts ofthe Eastern States. Having lived to tell about it, he will shedlight on the myths and dark secrets of this little known part of the succulent world.
This will be a very special program that may open your eyesto plants you never thought would be growing in the easternstates. Please bring your friends, join us and welcomeMichael as he takes the floor and presents a much neededsubject to our club.
Thursday, April 14, 2010 "Taxonomy For Cactus Lovers:
Latin shouldn’t be Greek to you" Presented by Mark Dimmitt
Free Plants and Door Prize Golden Barrel,
Echinocactus grusonii
Native to Mexico (Queretaro) where it is endangered inthe wild. This plant is fairly slow growing to 3 feet tall (90cm), 3 feet in diameter ultimately.
The Golden Barrel is one of the most commonly usedand widely available landscape cactus in the AmericanSouthwest . It is popular for its golden spines that keeplooking attractive after several years. The Golden Barrel has 1.5 to 2 inches (4-5 cm) yellow flowers from end ofMarch to end of April. The flowers are produced only onmature specimens receiving enough full sun. The flowersare not very visible being small in relation with the size ofthe barrel, and lost into the creamy colored wool at thetop of the globe. Water generously in summer.
www.deserttropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Echinocactus_grusonii.html
Acknowledgement of ContributionsDecember, 2009 – February 2010
The names below represent the Tucson Cactus & Succulent Society members and friends whose donationshelped make this year a success. We extend our sincere thanks for your support.
General Helen & Kevin BarberMartha BrummfieldJack J & Tena ByrneJensine E. Ericksen & Donald M. MoxleyVernon & Diane KliewerArlene & Fred MillerHal MyersAlyce Pennington & Rick TrappPatricia PhelanCarol & Eric SchafferJoyce ThomasWilliam ThorntonKathi & Clint GlassJeff & Connie Woodman
EducationRon & Elaine MeyerGail Virtes
ConservationRon & Elaine Meyer
ResearchJoyce ThomasWinifred Williams
FlorilegiumCynthia AnsonPaula Borchardt & Carl EnglanderJohn Gilkey & Laurel CooperElizabeth DavisonCherie GossettMichael& Linda McNultyMobil Matching Gift Program (Joseph M. Frannea)Arlene & Douglas RipleyMargaret Pope & Norm EpsteinLinda Burback
Part Time Help WantedBach’s Cactus Nursery Retail Sales Area
Call 8am to 5pm Mon-Sat 520-744-3333
Ask for Diane Bach